Millions won’t buy back Hatfill’s reputation

hatfillWhen someone is named a “person of interest” in a case, especially one as big as the 2001 anthrax murders, the authorities had better have the goods on the guy. Because they didn’t when then-Attorney General John Ashcroft put that label on former Army scientist Steven Hatfill in 2002, the U.S. Justice Department will now pay Hatfill $5.82 million to settle a lawsuit. Those involved in the investigation say that there was a fixation on Hatfill, a graduate of Southwestern College in Winfield, unjustified by the facts. So now the public will pay for the government’s mistakes, and the killer of five remains at large.

5 Comments

  1. Phantom
    Posted July 2, 2008 at 1:37 pm | Permalink

    Unless the Obama Administration pushes on the Anthrax murderer investigation, I think those responsible have gotten away with it.

  2. bth
    Posted July 2, 2008 at 1:42 pm | Permalink

    DNA testing showed the Anthrax came from the US military. The targets were “liberals”. Interesting …

  3. Phantom
    Posted July 2, 2008 at 3:43 pm | Permalink

    I think the ‘liberal’ part is why the case was never solved. Scooter probably would’ve stone walled anyway.

  4. thomaswitt
    Posted July 2, 2008 at 4:46 pm | Permalink

    Maybe they should have waterboarded the guy.

  5. JWink
    Posted July 2, 2008 at 6:25 pm | Permalink

    I suspect Hatfil will use his $5.62 million civil award to play golf and search for the real killer.